Area Farm & Ag Headlines

After heading back to school this fall, students across the Midwest enjoyed creating their very own milk mustache poses for a chance to win Midwest Dairy Council's Fuel Up with Milk World School Milk Day Contest. Students were encouraged to submit photos of themselves wearing real milk mustaches or milk mustache stickers while participating in various school activities -- eating breakfast or lunch, working at a computer, doing a favorite physical activity or simply posing with a teacher or school principal.

Scranton Elementary of Scranton, Kan., was chosen as the Grand Prize winner...

OMAHA, Neb., Nov. 5, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq:GPRE) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire two ethanol plants of BioFuel Energy Corp. ("BIOF") from an entity composed of its lender group. The ethanol plants are located in Wood River, NE and Fairmont, MN. BIOF had previously agreed to transfer the ethanol plants to the lender group entity pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure. Following the transfers, Green Plains will purchase the ethanol plants and certain related assets from the lender group entity. The...

(Pipestone Systems) -- The Pipestone System has recently cooperated with the Pipestone County Sheriff’s Office in response to a complaint of animal mistreatment by a former employee. The complaint was lodged by Jessica Marie Buck, a former Pipestone System employee, who we believe to be an undercover activist with the Mercy for Animals organization. It’s our understanding that the Pipestone County Prosecutor has determined not to bring any charges against any of the employees on the farm at this time.

The Pipestone System does not condone any type of willful animal abuse. The...

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minneapolis filling station is offering consumers more choices when filling their vehicles. The Penn Minnoco Station at W 60th Street and Penn Avenue South has E15 and E30 on tap. Vehicle owners with 2001 and later models can use the E15 blend, similar to the current E10. The E30 blend offers additional flexibility for anyone driving a flex fuel car.

Penn Minnoco Station owner Rick Bohnen installed the new equipment with the help of a public-private partnership offering grants to encourage ethanol fuels consumption. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (...

WASHINGTON, D.C. [10/28/13]—As Farm Bill negotiations ramp up in Congress, U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) joined a coalition of senators to fight cuts to nutritional programs for millions of American children, families, and seniors.

In a letter sent to members of the Farm Bill conference committee—who decide what will be included in the final bill—Sen. Franken and 38 of his colleagues asked the group to fight against harmful cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The senators also urged the negotiators to reject all eligibility changes that would prevent...

(Brewster, MN) -- In 2007 MnSP entered into a Management Services Agreement (MSA) with Bunge North America, Inc. Under that agreement, Bunge assisted MnSP in developing its own management and financial team and provided MnSP commercial and risk management services.

The vision of the MnSP Board of Directors has always been to be an independent company with the ability to control its own destiny. With its increased financial stability and an experienced management, commercial, and operational team in place, MnSP has requested, and Bunge has agreed, to terminate the MSA effective...

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., Oct. 10, 2013 -- Zoetis has awarded a $100,000 PRRS Innovation Research Grant to Kyoungjin Yoon, DVM, PhD, and Jianqiang Zhang, MD, PhD, investigators at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, to conduct research into virus characterization and the immunobiology of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS).

The research project will explore the incorporation of functional genomic knowledge into sequencing practice in order to better characterize the PRRS virus and ultimately improve decision-making for intervention. The research grant...

The Minnesota Farm Bureau (MFB) salutes 4-H during National 4-H Week, October 6-12. This week is a great reminder of the many reasons why Farm Bureau maintains such strong support for the 4-H program.

Farm Bureau invests in 4-H throughout the year because Farm Bureau recognizes that rural youth benefit from participation in this organization. This is a program that develops leaders that will contribute back to their communities and invest in our future.

Below are some of the ways Farm Bureau partners with 4-H throughout the year.

MANKATO, MN – October 1, 2013- The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) has voiced its support for a recommendation by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) to move the state to a ten percent biodiesel inclusion rate in every gallon of diesel sold in Minnesota. The notice appears in the September 30, 2013 edition of the Minnesota State Register.

“Biodiesel has been shown to be great for the environment and the economy,” says George Goblish, MSGA president. “It’s common sense to keep moving forward with biodiesel because it has been proven to work. It’s a win for air...